SiSoftware Sandra 2010 Released: Virtualisation and GPGPU Support

London, UK, November 26th 2009 - We are pleased to launch SiSoftware Sandra 2010, the latest version of our award-winning utility, which includes remote analysis, benchmarking and diagnostic features for PCs, servers, mobile devices and networks.

At SiSoftware from version to version we focus four key areas of software development to make sure we give our users the best software experience. Quite simply our four drivers are:

Inclusion of new technologies that ensure our tools remain current.

Increased hardware and software support for existing modules.

Improving the user interface to make it a richer easier user experience.

Filling gaps in the product line in response to our customers' needs.

Looking at these in more detail:

1. It would have hardly been possible in the last few months to have not noticed the release of Windows 7. SiSoftware has been developing against both the betas and release candidate of Windows 7 to ensure compatibility even before the launch of Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2.

Over the last year, we have seen a huge growth in server consolidation and virtualisation: SiSoftware has responded to this by including support for not just one but five (5) different virtualisation technologies. These are:

Windows Virtual PC 7 (Windows XP Mode)

Microsoft Virtual Server 2005/R2

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008/R2

VMware Server

VMware WorkStation/Player

2. Since last year much new hardware has been released and the SiSoftware team continue to work on including support for new hardware as well as software in the latest version. There are always too many items, but to name a few:

Those running Windows 7 and Windows Vista will notice improved graphics and GPGPU support, including DirectX 11 Compute Shader/DirectCompute, OpenCL (GPU and CPU), as well as OpenGL graphics. In addition, Windows 7 users will also benefit from sensor information (GPS, temperature, brightness, voltage and fan), (multi)-touch, native support for SSD drives and SideShow devices.

With each release, we continue to add support and compatibility for the latest hardware, architectures and operating systems, and this is no exception. SiSoftware continues to work with hardware vendors to ensure the best support for new emerging hardware. Below is a quote we would like to share with you:

3. Sandra 2010 has been updated to use the new Windows 7 Windows User Experience (UX) guidelines, including Aero, for a richer, cleaner look and feel. However, all users will benefit from the improved usability and navigation in this version.

4. Responding to customers' needs to have a rapid portable version of Sandra (that does not need installing), we have expanded our offerings for Sandra Engineer Portable; it is now available on a branded USB (flash) drive, offering all the features of the previous CD based product, plus writable storage to save your valuable reports: you only need carry one thing in your pocket.

As well as adding support for virtualisation, the other change we have all noticed is the blurring between the home and workplace; as a result we have added three (3) new lifestyle modules, making seven (7) new modules in total:

SiSoftware, founded in 1995, is one of the leading providers of computer analysis, diagnostic and benchmarking software. The flagship product, known as "SANDRA", was launched in 1997 and has become one of the most widely used products in its field. Nearly 700 worldwide IT publications, magazines and review sites use SANDRA to analyse the performance of today's computers. Over 9,000 on-line reviews of computer hardware that use SANDRA are catalogued on our website alone.

Since launch, SiSoftware has always been at the forefront of the technology arena, being among the first providers of benchmarks that show the power of emerging new technologies such as multi-core, GPGPU, OpenCL, DirectCompute, x64, ARM, MIPS, NUMA, SMT (Hyper-Threading), SMP (multi-threading), AVX3, AVX2, AVX, FMA4, FMA, NEON, SSE4.2, SSE4.1, SSSE3, SSE3, SSE2, SSE, Java and .NET.